Board game employing cord means to move game pieces on a chance basis



Nov. 26, 1968 J w. RYAN ETAL 3,413,001

BOARD GAME EMPLOYING CORD MEANS TO MOVE GAME PIECES ON A CHANCE BASISFiled April 22, 1966 3 Sheets$heet l J. w. RYAN ETAL 3,413,001 BOARDGAME EMPLOYING CORD MEANS TO MOVE GAME Nov. 26, 1968 PIECES ON A CHANCEBASIS Filed April 22, 1966 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 fral lw-vs Nov. 26, 1968 J.w. RYAN ETAL 3,413,001

BOARD GAME EMPLOYING CORD MEANS To MOVE GAME PIECES ON A CHANCE BASISFiled April 22, l96

3 Sheets-Sheet 5 United States Patent BOARD GAME EMPLOYING CORD MEANS TOMOVE GAME PIECES ON A CHANCE BASIS John W. Ryan, Bel-Air, and Gordon H.Anderson, Palos Verdes Estates, Calii, assignors to Mattel, Inc,Hawthorne, Cali, a corporation of California Filed Apr. 22, 1966, Ser.No. 544,549 Claims. (Cl. 27386) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A supportdefines a path along which a game piece is movable from a starting end.A cord attached to the game piece extends along the raceway and about aguide then back toward the starting end, laterally of the raceway, whereit is fixed to the support. An area adjacent the starting end has amultiplicity of holes, pegs are used to deflect the cord laterally andhold it at a selected hole to pull the game piece along the path insteps. Chance means indicate which holes may be selected and biasingmeans keeps the cord in tension.

The present invention relates to a new and useful board game and moreparticularly to such a game employing cord means to move game pieces ona chance basis.

Competitive type games traditionally have been fascinating playthingsfor children, especially little boys. Recent years have seen aparticular phenomenon become existant in the toy industry.

Dragstrip racing has captured the imagination of the collectivechildrens mind and has achieved a place therein of significantproportions.

In view of the foregoing, it is the primary object of the presentinvention to provide a competitive board game.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a game of thetype described which uses a dragstrip racing theme.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a board gamewherein a simulated drag strip, including a starting line and a finishline, is provided on the upper surface of a game board and whereinsimulated dragsters are mounted on the game board in engagement withcord means adapted to cause the dragsters to negotiate the simulateddrag strip by playing-out the cord on a chance basis.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a gamesimulating the launching of a rocket and including simulated rocketsattached to cords which elevate the rockets on a chance basis.

According to a first embodiment of the present invention, a game boardis provided and includes a simulated drag strip having a starting lineand a finish line. Game piece means in the form of simulated dragstersare mounted on the game board for traversing the strip. Cord means isattached to the game piece means for moving the game piece means overthe drag strip by playing-out the cord means. Also, means are providedfor playing-out the cord means on the basis of chance. A separate gamepiece means and a separate cord are provided for each youngster playingthe game and a set of apertures is provided on the game board for eachyoungster. Each set of apertures includes a plurality of aperturesindiscriminately positioned on a particular players side of the board.However, each side has an identical pattern so that one player may notgain an advantage over another player. The apertures are identified bysix separate indicia which may take the form of suitable racing symbols.A spinner is rotatably mounted on the game board for selecting thesesymbols on a chance basis. When a symbol 3,4l3,fi1 Patented Nov. 28,1968 is selected, a child moves his game piece means by engaging asimulated racing flag beneath his cord and drawing the cord to positionover an aperture identified by the symbol selected by the spinner. Thesimulated fiag may then be placed in the aperture displacing the cord ina predetermined manner which advances the game piece means along thedrag strip.

In a second embodiment of tie present invention, the apertures areprovided at the base of a vertical column having a pulley provided atits upper end for each play er. A cord is trained about each pulley andhas one end secured at the base of the column. A simulated rocket isattached to the other end of the cord and is caused to be moved upwardlyon the column by engaging simulated racing flags in the apertures tochange the length of the cord.

The features of the present invention which are believed to be novel areset forth with particularity in the appended claims. The presentinvention, both as to its organization and manner of operation, togetherwith further objects and advantages thereof, may best be understood withreference to the following description, taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings in which like reference characters refer to likeelements in the several views.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective View of a board game constituting a firstembodiment of the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 2-2 of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged, bottom view of the game board shown in FIGURE1;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged, top plan view of a game piece means shown inFIGURE 1;

FIGURE 5 is a bottom view of the game piece means in FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged, partial, perspective view similar to FIGURE 1showing the relative positions of a pair of game piece means during aracing game;

FIGURE 7 is an enlarged, partial perspective view of a chance meansforming a part of the board game shown in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 8 is an enlarged, partial perspective view showing certaindetails of construction of the board game shown in FIGURE 1;

FIGURES 9 and 10 are perspective views showing somewhat schematicallythe operation of certain parts of the board game shown in FIGURE 1 toadvance the game piece means shown in FIGURES 4 and 5;

FIGURES 11 and 12 are enlarged, partial perspective views showingfurther details of construction of the board game shown in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 13 is a perspective view of a board game constituting a secondembodiment of the present invention;

FIGURE 14 is an enlarged perspective view showing a chance means mountedon the board game shown in FIGURE 13;

FIGURE 15 is an enlarged, partial cross-sectional view taken along line1515 of FIGURE 13;

FIGURE 16 is an enlarged, cross-sectional view taken along line 1616 ofFIGURE 13;

FIGURE 17 is an enlarged, partial view of a base portion of the boardgame shown in FIGURE 13; and

FIGURE 18 is an enlarged, elevational view, with parts broken away toshow internal construction, of a game piece means employed in the boardgame shown in FIG- URE 13.

Referring again to the drawings and particularly to FIGURES 1-12, aboard game constituting a first embodiment of the present invention,generally designated 10, comprises a game board 12 tapering from acomparatively wide end 14 to a comparatively narrow end 16. The

game board 12 includes a first section 18 which carries the wide end 14and a second section which carries the narrow end 16. The sections 18and 20 are hinged together by pivot pins 22 in such a manner that thesecond section 20 may be folded subjacent the first section 18 tominimize storage space. The sections 18 and 20 may each be made from asuitable plastic material employing well known molding techniques insuch a manner that, when the two sections are joined together by thepins 22 and the two sections are extended to their FIG- URE 1 positions,the game board 12 will have a top wall 24, a pair of depending, spacedsidewalls 26, a first end wall 28 and a second end wall 30.

The top wall 24 is provided with first and second sets of apertures 32and 34, respectively, each of which includes a plurality of keyhole-typeapertures 36 indiscriminately placed in the same relative locationwithin each of the sets 32, 34. The apertures 36 are identified bysuitable indicia which a child-user of the board game 10 associates withthe language or drag talk customarily heard at a drag strip. Sixdifferent indicia 40, 41, 42, 43, 44 and 45 may be used in each of thesets 32, 34 to identify corresponding apertures 36.

The top wall 24 is also provided with first and second open-top chambers46 and 48 for storing first and second sets of simulated racing flags 50and 52, respectively. Each flag 50, 52 includes a hooked end 54 whichmay be hooked under an associated cord means 56 and moved to apredetermined aperture 36 after which the hooked end 54 is inserted intothe aperture 36 and rotated to lock the flag in position therein, asindicated in FIGURES 9 and 10. A pair of elongated troughs 58, 60 areprovided in the top Wall 24 adjacent the first and second sets ofapertures 32, 34, respectively, for facilitating engagement of thehooked end 54 under the cord means 56, as shown in FIGURE 8.

A simulated race track means in the form of a drag strip 62, which maybe made from a piece of cardboard or the like, is also provided on thetop wall 24 and includes a common starting-finish line 64 which ispositioned on the strip 62 near the end 14 of game board 12. The strip62 also includes a turn-around line 65 which is positioned adjacent theend 16.

A pair of game piece means 66, 68, hereinafter referred to sometimes asracing cars or dragsters, are mounted on the game board 12 and areadapted to travel on the strip 62 from the starting-finish line 64,across the line 65 and back again to the line 64. Each of the gamepieces 66, 68, includes a body which is symmetrically shaped from afirst end 72 to a second end 74 so that either of these ends may beconsidered the front end of the associated game piece means. Duringtravel over the strip 62 from the starting-finish line 64 to the line65, the end 74 is considered the front end of an associated game piecemeans 66, 68. However, during return travel from the line 65 to thestarting-finish line 64, the end 72 is considered to be the front end.Each body 70 travels on strip 62 on four wheels 76 rotatably mounted onassociated axle means 78. Each body 70 includes a bottom wall 80 (FIGURE5) which is provided with a first open channel 82 extending from the end74to a first passageway 84 provided in the body 70 intermediate the ends72 and 74. The bottom wall 80 is also provided with a second openchannel 86 extending from the end 72 to a second passageway 84. Thepassageways 84 and 88 extend from the bottom wall 80 upwardly throughthe body 70 to a recess 89 provided in the top wall 90 of the body 70(FIGURE 4). An upstanding pin 92 is provided on the top wall 90 in therecess 89 for simulating a driver of the game piece means 66, 68. Thecord means 56 is attached to an associated game piece means 66, 68 byrunning the cord means 56 along the bottom wall 80 in the first openchannel 82, upwardly through the passageway 84, around the pin 92,downwardly through the passage way 88 and along the bottom wall 70through the open channel 86. An associated game piece means 66, 68 maythen be accurately positioned on the starting-finish line 64 byproviding slack in the cord means 56 so that it does not engage anassociated pin 92 whereupon an associated game piece means 66, 68 may bemoved along the cord means 56 to the starting-finish line 64.

The cord means 56 includes a first cord 94 having a first end 96 afiixedto the top wall 24 by a pin 98 and a second end 100 (FIGURE 2) which iscoiled about a first pulley 102 rotatably mounted on a spindle 104depending from the top wall 24 adjacent the end 14 of the game board 12.The cord 94 includes a bight portion 106 which is trained about a firsttab 108 provided on the top wall 24. The tab 108 includes a lip 110maintaining the bight portion 106 in position adjacent an arcuate,bearing surface 112. Cord 94 is maintained in a taut condition byconnecting a first recoil spring 114 to the pulley 182 and the spindle104 for normally maintaining the game piece means 66 in position at thestarting-finish line 64.

The cord means 56 also includes a second cord 116 having an end 118secured to the top wall 24 by a pin 120 and an end 122 coiled about asecond pulley 124 which is rotatably mounted on the spindle 104. Thecord 116 also includes a bight portion 126 trained about a second tab128. The tab 128 includes a lip 130 for maintaining the bight portion126 in engagement with a second arcuate bearing surface 132. The cord116 is maintained in a taut condition by a second recoil spring 134having a first end connected to the pulley 124 and a second connected tothe spindle 104.

The cords 94 and 116 are unwound from their associated pulleys 102 and124 :by engaging the hooked end 54 of an associated flag 50, 52 under anassociated cord 94, 116, as shown for the cord 16 in FIGURES 8-10, andthen moving the associated flag 50, 52 to one of the apertures 36. Theapertures 36 are chosen on a chance basis by a chance means 136 whichincludes a spinner 138 rotatably mounted on a reduced-diameter endportion 140 of spindle 104. The spinner 138 is rotatably connected tothe end portion 140 by a lock washer 142 which is seated in acounterbore 144 provided in a knob 146 forming an integral part of thespinner 138. The spinner 138 includes a rim 148 which is connected tothe knob 146 by a spider 150. The spinner 138 may be rotated by achild-user of the game 10 to select one of the indicia 40-45 which areprovided on the top wall 24 in an octagonal pattern providing 8 spaces152. Since there are only 6 indicia and 8 spaces 152, two wild spots 153may also be provided under the spinner 138. A pointer 154 is mounted onthe outer periphery 156 at the rim 148 for indicating a particular space152 when the spinner 138 stops rotating.

Two players may conveniently use the game board 10 with one playercontrolling the game piece means 66 while the other player controls thegame piece means 68. The game piece means 66 and 68 may be moved acrossthe turn-around line 65 and returned to the startingfinish line 64 in amanner to be hereinafter described. The first player to move his gamepiece means across the starting-finish line 64 on his return trip winsthe pace. The player controlling the game piece means 66 may keep anaccurate account of the races he has won by a scoring wheel 156 which isrotatably mounted on the top wall 24 adjacent the open-top chamber 46.Also, the player controlling the game piece means 68 may keep anaccurate account of the games he has won by a scoring wheel 158 which isrotatably mounted on the top wall 24- adjacent the open-top chamber 48.Each of the wheels 156, 158 may be rotated by a knob 160 bringing thenumerals 0-5 into view in a window 162 provided in the top wall 24adjacent an associated wheel .156, 158. The numbers 0-5 are printed on adisc 164 which is attached to an associated knob 160.

Two players may have a simulated drag race on the game board 12. Oneplayer may choose the game piece means 66 and he will then use the flags50 and the set of apertures 32. The other player will then choose thegame piece means 68 using the flags 52 and the set of apertures 34. Theplayers race their game piece means toward the turn-around line 65 byplacing flags in the apertures 36. When the end 74 of each game piecemeans 66, 68 reaches the line 65, the players race back to thestarting-finish line 64 by removing flags. The end 72 of the first gamepiece means to cross the line 64 on the return trip determines thewinner of a particular race. Before starting play, the players satisfythemselves that the end 74 of each :game piece means 66 and 68 is behindthe line 64. One of the players, such as the player having the gamepiece means 68, takes his turn by spinning the spinner 138. Assumingthat the spinner stops with the indicator 154 pointing at the indicia40-, as shown in FIGURE 7, the first player then chooses an aperture 36in the set 34 having an indicia 40 and picks up his cord 116 with thehooked end 54 of a flag 52, as shown in FIGURE 8. The cord 116 is thenpulled gently to the chosen aperture 36 and received therein. Pullingthe cord 116 to the chosen aperture 36 advances the game piece means 68along the strip 62 toward the line 65 by unreeling the cord 116 from thepulley 12 4 against the bias of recoil spring 134.

The other player then takes his turn in the same way and the playerskeep taking turns placing flags in the apertures 36 after each turn. Aplayer must skip his turn if the indicator 154 points to an indicia forwhich all apertures 36 are filled with flags. As soon as the end 74 of agame piece means crosses the turn-around line 65, a player may, on hisnext turn, race back toward the starting-finish line 64. This isaccomplished by removing flags from the apertures 36 having indiciacorresponding to those selected on a chance basis by the spinner 138. Ifthe spinner selects an indicia for which there is no matching aperture36 with a flag in it, a turn is skipped. If the indicator 154 points 59a wild indicia 153 after a player has spun the spinner 138, he may put aflag into any aperture 36 within his set of apertures, he may remove anyflag from his set of apertures, he may remove any flag from the otherplayers set of apertures or he may place a flag into any aperture in theother players set. The player who first gets the end 72 of his gamepiece means across the starting-finish line 64 is declared the winner.He then moves his score wheel one number ahead. The overall winner ofthe game is the first player who wins 5 races.

With a little skill and ingenuity, a player may reduce the number ofturns necessary to advance a game piece means to a winning position. Forexample, if the player having the flags 52 places them as shown inFIGURE 12 wherein the flag 52a is placed first, the flag 52b second, theflag 52c third and the flag 52d fourth with the player looping his cord116 around flag 52a on each turn during placement of the flags 52b, 52cand 52d, he can move his game piece means 68 from the turn-around line65 to the finish line 64 by removing only flags 52a, 52c and 52a. By sodoing, he may win the game in three moves.

Referring now to FIGURES 13-18, a second embodiment of the presentinvention, generally designated 160, includes a base member 162 whichsupports a column 164. The base 162 includes 4 faces, like the onesshown at 165 and 166 in FIGURE 13, which are each provided with aplurality of keyhole-shaped apertures 36a adapted to receive flags 50identical to those used in connection with the first embodiment. Theapertures 36a are indiscriminately placed in the same relative locationon each of the four faces. as indicated in FIGURE 13 for the faces 165and 166 and are identified by six difierent indicia 168, 169, 170, .172,174 and 175, as shown in FIGURE 17. These indicia are each displayed ona face of a dye 176 which is held captive in a container 178 having abase portion 180 and a hemispherically-shaped tnansparent cover 182. Thecontainer 178 is mounted on a coil spring 184 having one end 186 aflixedto the top wall 188 of the column 164. The container 178 may bedisplaced laterally and then released causing the dye 176 to tumbleabout. The indicia which is on the top of the dye 176 when it comes torest determines the aperture 36a in which a players flag 50 is placed.

The column 164 includes a lower, hollow section 190 into which an uppersection 192 may be telescoped to minimize storage space for the game160. The section 190 includes an encompassing sidewall .194 which isprovided with an aperture 196 engageable by a button 198 ialfixed to theencompassing sidewall 200 of the section 192 by a leaf spring 204. Thespring 204 may be bowed to the position shown in broken lines in FIGURE15 removing the button 198 from the aperture 196 when it is desired totelescope the section 102 down into the section 190. A pulley 206 isaffixed to the upper end 208 of the section 192 on each of the fourpanels formed by the encompassing sidewall 200. A first cord 210 has oneend 212 atfixed to the lower end 214 of the section 190 adjacent theface by a pin 216, is trained up over an associated pulley 206 and has agame piece means 218 aflixed to its other end 220. The game piece means218 is provided with a mass 222 which maintains the cord 210 in a tautcondition. A second cord 22 4 has one end 226 secured to the lower end214 of the section .190 adjacent the face 166 by a pin 228, is trainedabout a second pulley 206 and has an end 230 connected to a second gamepiece means 218.

By employing all four faces of the base member 162, as many as fourplayers may participate in a number of different games which may beplayed with the device 160. For example, each player may take turnsdisplacing the container 178 laterally causing the dye 176 to tumbleabout. When the dye 176 comes to rest, the player takes his flag 50drawing his associated cord to an aperture 36a corresponding to theindicia uppermost on the dye 176, as shown in FIGURE 13 for the face165. This advances the game piece means 218 up along a simulated racetrack means 62 provided on an associated face of the column 164. Theplayer whose game piece means is the first to travel from a startingline 64a adjacent the end 214 to a finish line 65a adjacent anassociated pulley 206 is declared the winner of a particular game.

While the particular board games herein shown and described in detailare fully capable of attaining the objects and providing the advantageshereinbefore stated, it is to be understood that they are merelyillustrative of the presently preferred embodiments of the invention andtha' no limitations are intended to the details of constructior ordesign herein shown other than as defined in the ap pended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A board game, comprising: a support defining travel course havingfirst and second ends; a game piec movable along said travel course; acord means engag ing said game niece and extending therefrom into engagtment with guide means at said second end and having terminal end securedto said support; biasing means ur; ing said game piece to move towardsaid first end an thereby hold said cord means in tension; an area ofsa' support between said guide means and said terminal er having amultiplicity of openings therein dispersed ov said area and normallyspaced laterally from said co: means; and pin means adapted to engage insaid openin whereby portions of said cord means may be selective andsequentially displaced laterally to a selected openi and held thereat bysaid pin means to produce incremen' movement of said game piece alongsaid travel course ward said second end.

2. A board game as defined in claim 1 wherein s: guide means comprises adirection changing guide, s cord means extending therefrom generallyback tow: said first end but laterally spaced from said travel cour saidterminal end being secured to said support adjacent said first end.

3. A board game as defined in claim 2 wherein said openings are providedwith identifying indicia; and chance which openings may be selected by aplayer.

4. A board game as defined in claim 2 wherein said game piece isfrictionally secured to an intermediate portion of said cord meansbetween said terminal end and its other end; said other end beingconnected to a recoil mechanism comprising said biasing means.

5. A board game as defined in claim 2 wherein said travel course extendsgenerally vertically with said second end uppermost, said guide meanscomprising a pulley over which said cord means is trained and saidbiasing means comprising a gravity-responsive mass in said game piece.

' 8 References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 433,012 7/1890 Lurnley 273-86X 780,937 1/1905 Clagett 273--86 X 2,109,736 3/1938 Roth 27386 2,204,3976/1940 Barrett 273-86 2,828,129 3/1958 Gelfand 27386 3,115,115 12/1963Lang ct al. 273-86 FOREIGN PATENTS 601,031 12/1959 Italy.

RICHARD C. PINKHAM, Primary Examiner. THOMAS ZACK, Assistant Examiner.

